NCAA FB

RB Jones has 'big expectations' for No. 19 Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)

Florida running back Matt Jones was admittedly nervous, rusty
and winded in his season debut against Miami.

It was about what he expected after spending a week in a
hospital and more than a month recovering from a viral infection
that sapped his strength and energy and took off more than 10
pounds.

''I wasn't really trusting myself,'' he said this week, his
first public comments since the team's spring game in April. ''I
wasn't ready for the hits and stuff like that yet.''

It showed.

Jones ran 18 times for 47 yards - averaging 2.6 a carry - in a
21-16 loss to the Hurricanes nearly two weeks ago. He also fumbled
on the opening drive, the first of Florida's five turnovers. The
Hurricanes took advantage of the good field position by scoring a
touchdown, a lead they kept the rest of the day.

''It's better to lose early than late, and we found out a lot of
problems we need to fix,'' Jones said. ''I don't think anything's
wrong with our offense. We moved the ball great. We need to work on
the little things.''

And the big things, like ball security.

But with an extra week to prepare for Saturday's game against
Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee (2-1), Jones has high hopes
for his second game.

''I definitely have big expectations,'' he said. ''I want to
take the team on my back now that I'm back and I know how the game
feels now. I have big expectations going into this game to run hard
and trust myself.''

The Gators (1-1) might need a big game from their featured
back.

The ground game has been an integral part of the
Florida-Tennessee series the last two-plus decades.

The team with more rushing yards has won 21 of the last 23
meetings. The only exceptions came in 2000 and 2002.

Florida has won eight in a row in a series that used to
essentially determine the SEC's Eastern Division, and the Gators
have dominated those games on the ground.

The Gators have averaged 177.4 yards rushing during the winning
streak, and the Volunteers have averaged 51 yards.

Florida racked up 336 yards rushing against Tennessee last year.
It was, by far, the most either team has managed in the series,
which became an annual event in 1990.

The Volunteers know that slowing down Jones is the key to
shutting down the Gators.

''Talented running back. Talented,'' Vols coach Butch Jones
said. ''Can do a lot of things, has a physical style of play, can
make you miss. We have to do a much better job on the perimeter of
tackling.''

Added Tennessee safety Brian Randolph: ''He's a physical back.
He likes to lower his pads on you, so we've just got to gang tackle
him and hit him low.''

The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Jones was hospitalized in July because
of the infection, lost noticeable weight and spent weeks
recovering. He started working out two weeks later, but team
doctors were cautious with his rehabilitation. They wanted to avoid
a relapse or any setbacks, especially in Gainesville's sweltering
summer heat and humidity.

He was cleared to practice and play late last month, and the
Gators targeted the Miami game for his return.

Jones ran 52 times for 275 yards and three touchdowns last
season, getting most of his work in mop-up duty behind Mike
Gillislee. He was at his best late in the year, running 16 times
for 146 yards in the final two regular-season games against
Jacksonville State and Florida State. His 32-yard TD run in the
fourth quarter against the Seminoles helped seal a victory.

Offensive coordinator Brent Pease and coach Will Muschamp
thought so highly of Jones during offseason practice in March and
April that they gave him just one carry in the spring game.

His late-summer setback left him basically starting over. And
his debut - especially that early fumble - left him yearning for
another chance to prove himself.

''I was taking it bad. I was thinking I wasn't ready to come
back,'' he said. My coaches just told me to calm down and trust
yourself. Through the third or fourth quarter, I started feeling
comfortable, like I almost popped one. I started feeling my cuts.
So it went all right.''

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